News / National
Father and son arrested for defrauding farmers
04 Jul 2011 at 22:40hrs | Views
A father (58) and a son (37) have been arrested for allegedly defrauding farmers of 3,5 tonnes of soya beans and 32 tonnes of maize worth US$8 560.
Captain and his son Revenge Miti who were on the run for the past two months, were arrested last week while posing as farm produce brokers.
Their two accomplices, Osiwald Temani and Exeda Chindori, have since appeared in court and are currently on bail. Captain and Revenge were not asked to plead to fraud charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera.
They were remanded to July 18 on US$100 bail each.
Appearing for the State, Ms Vernancia Mtake, alleges that on May 11 this year Captain, Revenge, Temani and Chindori hatched a plan to defraud resettled farmers who are into maize and soya bean farming.
The quartet, it is alleged placed an advert in local press to the effect they were in the business of buying soya beans and maize.
It is the State's case that Alfred Savanhu who had 32 tonnes of maize and Paradzai Mugari who had 3,5 tonnes of soya beans responded to the advert and phoned them.
The quartet, it is alleged, indicated that they were buying soya beans at US$560 per tonne and maize at US$265 per tonne.
The State says that Savanhu and Mugari were ordered to deliver their produce at National Railways of Zimbabwe's warehouse.
They were promised to collect their money in three days time, it is alleged.
After three days, it is alleged the duo went back to collect their money and to their surprise, the quartet was nowhere to be found and their mobile phones were switched off.
A police report was made leading to their arrest.
Captain and his son Revenge Miti who were on the run for the past two months, were arrested last week while posing as farm produce brokers.
Their two accomplices, Osiwald Temani and Exeda Chindori, have since appeared in court and are currently on bail. Captain and Revenge were not asked to plead to fraud charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera.
They were remanded to July 18 on US$100 bail each.
Appearing for the State, Ms Vernancia Mtake, alleges that on May 11 this year Captain, Revenge, Temani and Chindori hatched a plan to defraud resettled farmers who are into maize and soya bean farming.
The quartet, it is alleged placed an advert in local press to the effect they were in the business of buying soya beans and maize.
It is the State's case that Alfred Savanhu who had 32 tonnes of maize and Paradzai Mugari who had 3,5 tonnes of soya beans responded to the advert and phoned them.
The quartet, it is alleged, indicated that they were buying soya beans at US$560 per tonne and maize at US$265 per tonne.
The State says that Savanhu and Mugari were ordered to deliver their produce at National Railways of Zimbabwe's warehouse.
They were promised to collect their money in three days time, it is alleged.
After three days, it is alleged the duo went back to collect their money and to their surprise, the quartet was nowhere to be found and their mobile phones were switched off.
A police report was made leading to their arrest.
Source - TH
